We are looking for an experienced early years leader to line-manage, support and develop our existing nursery management team at Rookies Day Nursery, a setting with around 90 places.
Acting as the Nursery Operations Manager and leading into appointment as the nominated individual, you will have authority to set objectives, manage performance, require improvements and approve spending within agreed limits, providing monthly reports to directors.
What you will do
- Uphold outstanding standards of care, education and compliance, putting children’s safety, wellbeing, development and experience first.
- Help the manager and team improve educational quality, curriculum, inclusion and SEND practice, giving children the best possible start in life.
- Oversee day-to-day operational performance through the nursery manager, providing practical direction and stepping in when needed.
- Lead staffing, safer recruitment, deployment and retention.
- Monitor occupancy, educational quality, care and staffing.
- Keep the setting consistently Ofsted-ready through strong safeguarding, EYFS practice, policies and procedures, checking what happens in practice.
- Coach the management team and room leaders to become confident, capable and accountable leaders, with clear expectations and fair management of underperformance.
Your remit covers HR and employment matters, supervision, training, staff and management wellbeing, parent relationships and complaints. You will oversee premises, health and safety, risk, data protection and budgets, arranging specialist support where needed. You will lead the setting’s response to Ofsted inspections and regulatory visits alongside the nursery manager.
The nursery manager retains responsibility for daily running and staff leadership. You will observe practice, listen to staff and verify improvements. Routine staffing-ratio cover is outside this role.
What you will bring - Essential:
- Strong early years operational leadership experience, including managing and developing nursery managers or equivalent leaders.
- Current EYFS, safeguarding and inclusion knowledge, with substantive leadership experience during Ofsted inspections, with knowledge of the role of a nominated individual
- Evidence of improving provision and children’s outcomes, managing people fairly and understanding occupancy and finances.
Working arrangements
- Normally 3-4 on-site days, totalling 22.5 hours a week.
- Flexibility to attend inspections at short notice, including on usual non-working days, is required.
Apply
Apply by sending your CV & cover letter to hr@stevenagefc.com - shortlisted candidates will complete an interview during October 2026. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and provide reasonable adjustments.
Appointment is subject to satisfactory references, suitability, right-to-work checks, and an enhanced DBS check including the Children’s Barred List.
